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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

who gave birth lying on a bed in hospital?

160 replies

ratclare · 27/10/2006 15:43

why do they make us do this ? surely standing or squatting would make this easier ,what with gravity and everything . I am a nurse and i would only make some one have a poo in bed if there was no physical way of getting them out !

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Mumptious · 01/11/2006 22:27

I did and it was fine, but it was after a v active labour (lots of walking around, kneeling, crouching etc.) I had planned to give birth on my knees over the back of the bed or on all fours, but the moment I moved off my back DS' heart rate fell through the floor. So end up on my back with a foot on each MW's (x2 MWs) hip to keep my bottom off the bed. DH had watched too many movies and kept asking where the stirups were!

I had thought it would be the worse thing in the world to be on my back as it seemed to defy logic, but DS was born in five hours (less than an hour of pushing) and I had a physialogical third stage too which was fab as he lay on my chest feeding and nuzzling!!!!

Sallie · 01/11/2006 22:35

I did with ds - had an epidural and I am sure the pushing stage was longer because I was on my back. With dd she was crowning as I arrived in the labour room so again I was on my back on the bed. With dd2 however, I was on all fours and it was soooooo much better. Would recommend that to everyone - eased the pain and made the pushing a lot easier. She literally shot out!!!!

sallystrawberry · 01/11/2006 22:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

handlemecarefully · 01/11/2006 22:58

I did with first - back to back baby and couldn't squat / do all fours etc. Humungusly painful - lying fairly statically on back was oddly enough the least excrutiating position

Different matter with 2nd baby - was most athletic

jasper · 01/11/2006 23:06

I Did.
I had no desire to be anywhere other than lying down but the hospital would have been perfectly happy for me to birth mid cartwheel if that was what I had wanted.

I always want to lie down if I feel bad and I felt BAD - in a good way

deliciousdolly · 02/11/2006 08:49

I was very much against lying down and having my feet in stirrups-which I believed was slightly barbaric. In the end though it was the ONLY position where I could really push down with any real effect! I ended up ripping the stirrups ! Women should be allowed to try out any position they feel comfortable in.

Shezzitta · 02/11/2006 09:20

Had my first baby in St Thomas hospital London. I was induced but midwife was wonderful and was fully mobile - ended up having baby standing up.

Second baby came VERY fast and we just managed to get to Mayday hospital Croydon. When it came time to push I said I wanted to get off the bed and I pleaded to get off the bed BUT the midwife and her assistant would NOT let me get off the bed. She said to me "how are we supposed to deliver the baby if you are not on the bed !!!!! I was annoyed but it all happened so fast that I didnt really have to much time to ponder on it. I did end up with a 2nd degree tear but did not want any stitches which they again tried to bully me into having but as they were too busy they finally left me alone and the tear cleared up in no time.

BexieID · 02/11/2006 09:47

By the time they examined me when I got to the hospital, I was ready to push! I had no pain relief but tore real bad. So ended up with a Spinal anyway!

As soon as they mentioned stirrups and Ventrose, it encouraged me to push harder, lol. I also had a Placental Abruption so just felt lucky my little man was ok!

whatamess · 02/11/2006 10:37

I'd tried every position during labour but had a ventuse so lying down with feet in stirrups which was the most horrible experience - I was FIGHTING to get them out it was the most painful position for me and I felt I had NO control - I had been trying to push for several hours and tbh at that point I just wanted them to hit me over the head and drag dd out! It's a good thing we forget

jaynie35uk · 02/11/2006 10:59

ive had all my 5 children lying on my back, the first 2 children i had i tore, but that was because i was told to push too early,, the more experienced i became i knew to go with what my body was telling me, i gave birth to twins naturally with one being breech,, no stitches, and the last baby, i was left alone to do whatever i wanted, pushed when i wanted to etc, that i think is the most important thing in avoiding tearing, in my opinion anyway, i tried moving in other positions everytime but didnt feel comfortable as i was when laid on my back slightly propped...

tortoiseshell · 02/11/2006 11:03

Ds1 - lying down in hospital
dd - kneeling up against my own bed at home
ds2 - standing up in own bedroom at home.

LazyWoman · 02/11/2006 11:29

DD1 - In the water, at home, no other pain relief, squatting - slight tear but no stitches.

DD2 - In the water, at home, no other pain relief, on all fours, no tears.

DS1 - In the water, at home, some gas & air, squatting - no tears.

Would highly recommend home births where you can do your own thing and the water was really lovely to be in, although I have nothing else to compare my experiences with. However, you have to be quite confident of your ground to do something different from the norm and do your homework properly.

lizzie1969 · 02/11/2006 12:09

DS1 born by forceps after induction and epidural.2 hours of pushing lying on your back - doesn't do it for me.

DD1 born (3 months ago) kneeling against the couch in our living room. Only got 20mins gas and air. Highly recommend. Would do it again!!

MOOBELLA · 02/11/2006 12:31

I just wanted to be as peaceful and calm as possible so lying down was the best thing for me. I didn't want to move at all! I laid curled up in a ball until the very last moments!
Don't know how anyone could think about moving, standing or squatting.

Umatic · 02/11/2006 13:52

Hey ladies,

In Greece they don't let you move around what-so-ever!

Infact (I'm an aussie living in Greece for the moment) I found the whole procedure so ancient... the doctor cuts you - to prevent tearing!
lets just skip the whole episode and get to the delivery room... yeap your legs are strapped into those lovely stirups! 3 or 4 big UFO size lights light up your centre of attention!

Talk about clinical!! No candles, aromatherapy oils burning or music playing - forget about that!

aleprisca · 02/11/2006 13:55

hmm NO!! I had my baby at home!!

PeachyBobbingParty · 02/11/2006 14:41

Yup, two lying one on a bed leaned over a beanbag

DS1 was to save our lives (medicalised birth), ds3 because actually couldn't bear to be any other way, was given option.

beckybrastraps · 02/11/2006 14:50

I was lying down at the bitter end because it was the only thing I could do. I walked around for most of the labour. Actually, when I wanted to really get things moving, lying on my side was the most effective position. I also knelt on all fours. But for the final push I just couldn't stay like that. So I was lying on my back, sort of tilted to one side. The midwife thought it was an odd position, but it worked for me.

I also have to lie on my side for smear tests. I think I'm oddly shaped.

bekplus3 · 02/11/2006 15:01

I had my 1st crouched and hanging over the side of the bed - my legs ached for days after and it was quite painful, but it enabled me to move around more, the contractions moved along at a steady rate and were quite painful, my second I was walking round and then sat on the bed, in the end I propped myself up on the bed with pillows behind me and my legs bent, that was easier and it took the pain from my back, the contractions were just as quick as the first and she was born quicker, my third I did the same as my second and he was very quick! I'd recommend moving about as much as you can, and only staying upright on your legs to give birth if you feel you are physicaly strong enough! then get on that bed, it was lovely!

canarygirl · 02/11/2006 15:21

With my first I gave birth on my side, not out of choice, I just rolled over for a epidural and started to push instead! Before that I had been on my back despite my birth plan stating I didn't want to lie on the bed - too much pethidine to argue! With my second I had a homebirth and produced on all fours - soooo much better and avoided horrible piles too. Definitely the way I would do it again.

EmsTomot · 02/11/2006 16:05

I wanted to stay mobile throughout labour but ended up on my back on the bed strapped to a machine to monitor my baby's heartbeat. I was under the care of quite an old midwife, and she wouldn't let me take the machine off. In the end, during the shift change, I took it off myself and tried to get up...but was too far into the labour!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I ended up giving birth on my side with my right leg in the air!!!!!!!!!!! My baby was also on his side, lazy lump, so I guess a bit of gravity would have come in use!!!!!!!!

princessmel · 02/11/2006 16:09

Me, both times. I was induced both times though. 1st time I was 2 weeks late and 2nd time baby had mecconium in water.
I wasn't flat on my back, more like sitting up. My contractions stopped when they lowered the bed to lay me down to push , so I stayed upright.

chipo · 02/11/2006 20:06

I was on my knees leaning against the top of the bed (it was upright) couldn't lie on my back as the pain was unbearable. Prob wasn't the easiest position for the wonderful midwife but she had to just get on with it. Was lucky though only had a 2 hour labour.

AnnewiththeBoys · 02/11/2006 20:50

First in a reclining chair, being induced and waters broken, awfulish. Took 3 days to induce.
Second in bed on back, sore but ok.
Third in bed on back, the fun was when the waterfull drowned a midwife, as ds3 was delivered.
Fourth was a bit of a nightmare, 5cm dilated then nothing for 2 days, then induced. Still in bed but on side. Ready to push but midwife said no " you are only 6cm". I pushed ds4, was born and then I blacked out.
My hips and back were too numb to move let alone squat or walk.

Worth every minute though.

tassis · 02/11/2006 20:54

definitely not me

couldn't bear the idea of being on the bed while in labour. both times i stood at the side of the bed leaning onto the bed (which was at its highest setting). delivered babies standing up.

couldn't bear to be touched and was more vocal about that this time - kept shouting at the MW to leave me alone

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